African Cup of Nations

[HarpoJoyce]

16 side tournament held in 4 stadia makes you kind of think "what if".

There was an interesting anecdote about the Egyptian government battling the same problem last time out by bussing in legions of the army dressed in coloured dungarees, whose job was to cheer for whichever side they'd been told to that day!

[Anecdotal Evidence #3,#4 and #5]
I don't know if all the 'placed' fans were all Military personnel. By the sound of their cheering there was many age-groups and many genders at the double-header in the Harras El Heddoud Stadium in Alexandria (Iskandahar) I went to. While they were significant numbers on the far side, the South Africa v. Guinea and Tunisia v. Zambia fans were plentiful as Alexandria is very accesible from Cairo. Which was the fastest growing city in Africa with large immigrant populations representing most of the countries in Africa. Tunisia fans seemed the most plentiful and organised.

Those place fans can be seen on this short clip (16 secs) above the corner flag in this Quarter-Final at the same Stadium.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kmgm...eature=channel
Already they are surplus to requirements, although welcome.

There were Stadiums at Egypt 2006 (Ghana 2008 since) that were run by the Military, Military Stadium in Cairo for one. This may be a reason why 'Military' is used to indentify some fans.

I had bought my half-way line ticket just before kick-off and the gates to both end terraces were opened on kick-off for the very large waiting crowds. This was the second matchday in that group.
One group that didn't stay for the whole day was some European journalists, the few beside me were French, they left en masse, after "McCarthy Benjamin" was subbed off. (The fixation with Emmanuel Adebayor reminded me of this).

It may have been the local organisers at Alexandria that set-up the 'placed' fans as there was no such fans at Cairo Stade/Cairo International Stadium for a Togo v. Angola one off group decider. Although there was a large knot of Al Ahly fans cheering on Angola (Flavio and the injured/non-squad member Gilberto). Although their dissapointment in Angola missing out on the quarters was tempered with the knowledge that DRC, Egypt's opponents, were rubbish.

Angola is a horrendously expensive country to visit and it World Cup year. The ordinary support are saving their money for that. I was talking to a taxi driver(insert chuckle here) in Manchester about this and he said that he was going to SA and was going to give Angola a miss as he couldn't afford both.

His brothers were back in Algeria and he said they could only afford to go for the latter stages if they made it through.

If they had made the knock out phases the Algerian disapora would have descended(As they done for all other recent ACNs).

Air Algérie are promising to fly up to 3,000 fans to Angola if Egypt and Algeria are drawn together.
http://www.ennaharonline.com/en/news/2745.html
"Bouabdallah [Chief of Air Algrie Co.] announced that the company would be ready to transport 3,000 supporters to Angola in case Algeria would have to face Egypt. The latter has ensured that the company will be responsible for the selling of tickets for both the CAN and World Cup"

[Thunderblaster]

Looking at the highlights of the goals so far in the tournament, I must be looking at the worst exhibition of goalkeeping and defending from set pieces at an international tournament. A lot of schoolboy errors in this.

[twoenz]

This being a favourite of what I've seen from the custodians so far.

[paudie]

Sligo's Boco playing for Benin v Nigeria on Eurosport at the moment.

[paudie]

Oops, he's just given away a penalty for handball. Yakubu scored the penalty

[HarpoJoyce]

It's all starting to open up now. A second shot off the crossbar after Sessegnon in the first half.

After Edit:
Benin's number 20 Arnaud Seka of Tonnerre is small for a profesional footballer.

[paudie]

Nigeria won 1-0. Benin unlucky

[paudie]

Ht Egypt 0 Mozambique 0. Good game.

[paudie]

FT Egypt 2 Mozambique 0

Egypt through to QF

[Ceirtlis]

Egpyt won fairly comfortably in the end after, they have been the best team so far anyway. They always seem to have a good team in this and they are almost all from the Egyptian league. What kind of standard would that be, I know Junior Agogo was signed by one of the big clubs over there after the the last ANC but I dont think it worked out.

Ivory Coast didnt play well last night I didnt think, looked like they might fall apart in the second half after Eboue got sent off but got a cracking free kick out of nowhere to go 2 up. They showed poor discipline throughout I thought, picked up alot of bookings and a ridiculous red card. They have brilliant individual players but at the moment I think the Egyptians would probably beat them just because they are so well drilled.

Hoping Cameroon win tomorrow anyway, had fairly hefty bets(for me) on IC and Cameroon a few weeks ago because I knew their odds would shorten before the start of the tournament. Just want to make sure they qualify and I will probably hedge some of it then.

[paudie]

Egpyt won fairly comfortably in the end after, they have been the best team so far anyway. They always seem to have a good team in this and they are almost all from the Egyptian league. What kind of standard would that be, I know Junior Agogo was signed by one of the big clubs over there after the the last ANC but I dont think it worked out.

Ivory Coast didnt play well last night I didnt think, looked like they might fall apart in the second half after Eboue got sent off but got a cracking free kick out of nowhere to go 2 up. They showed poor discipline throughout I thought, picked up alot of bookings and a ridiculous red card. They have brilliant individual players but at the moment I think the Egyptians would probably beat them just because they are so well drilled.
Hoping Cameroon win tomorrow anyway, had fairly hefty bets(for me) on IC and Cameroon a few weeks ago because I knew their odds would shorten before the start of the tournament. Just want to make sure they qualify and I will probably hedge some of it then.

Egypt have knocked IC out of the last 2 Africian Cups. I agree Egypt looked a lot better than IC so far.

[HarpoJoyce]

Egpyt won fairly comfortably in the end after, they have been the best team so far anyway. They always seem to have a good team in this and they are almost all from the Egyptian league. What kind of standard would that be, I know Junior Agogo was signed by one of the big clubs over there after the the last ANC but I dont think it worked out.

....

At the moment, Egypt are considered the most consistently successful at club and country level. They've won the last two CANs. Al Ahly have won the CAF Champion's League in 2008, 2006 and 2005, were runners-up in 2007.
They've won the last five Egyptian championships, as you know the Angolans Flavio and in particular Gilberto being the stars of the side. Zamalek are a distant second.
(I don't know if you want to contaminate the discussion by mentioning the FIFA World Club cup).

(other CAF champions league clubs)
the groups usually contain a Tunisian side Etoilie du Sahel, Sfaxien or Espérance (Club Africain didn't take their recent chance.), Al Hilal (Sudan) and ASEC Abidjan (Cote d'Ivoire). But 2009 was a breakthrough year, apart from Al Ahly missing the groups TP Mazembe (DRC), who reached the groups in 2008, won the CL this time.

[Thunderblaster]

I don't think too many sides would be quaking in their boots with the quality of the African Nations Cup so far.

[HarpoJoyce]

Tunisia's tournament hasn't started yet. They hit the crossbar in a 0-0 game against Gabon. They're in alot of trouble and may need favours already between Cameroon and Zambia tonight.
Gabon have started very well, Hull's Daniel Cousin is already a match winner against Cameroon. They will need to come out a bit against Zambia.

[Ceirtlis]

At the moment, Egypt are considered the most consistently successful at club and country level. They've won the last two CANs. Al Ahly have won the CAF Champion's League in 2008, 2006 and 2005, were runners-up in 2007.
They've won the last five Egyptian championships, as you know the Angolans Flavio and in particular Gilberto being the stars of the side. Zamalek are a distant second.
(I don't know if you want to contaminate the discussion by mentioning the FIFA World Club cup).

(other CAF champions league clubs)
the groups usually contain a Tunisian side Etoilie du Sahel, Sfaxien or Espérance (Club Africain didn't take their recent chance.), Al Hilal (Sudan) and ASEC Abidjan (Cote d'Ivoire). But 2009 was a breakthrough year, apart from Al Ahly missing the groups TP Mazembe (DRC), who reached the groups in 2008, won the CL this time.

Yeah it is the FIFA world club cup that is contaminating my mind to be honest! I saw TP Mazembe in it and thought they were a bit of a joke I was wondering how they managed to win the Champions League when the Tunisian and Egyptian national teams are almost totally domestic based.

The S African league teams never seem to do anything in the Champions League which is another thing that surprises me. I guess the questions really is whether the CAF Champions League is a good indicator of the strength of the leagues. I am assuming the North African top flights are all fully pro yeah?

Anyway Cameroon wtf? Zambia bottled it big time. Le Guen switched to real Mick McCarthy 2002 tactics there in the second half.

[MariborKev]

Aye,

What were Zambia at in the second half. Massive opportunity missed.

[HarpoJoyce]

Groups completed
http://www.cafonline.com/competition...la_2010/groups

Flavio (Angola) and Keita (Mali) have three goals each
http://www.portalangop.co.ao/motix/e...1b8a2c114.html
With two goals are Manucho Gonçalves (Angola), Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon), Kanoute (Mali), Mwafulinwa (Malawi), Odemwengie (Nigeria), Mulenga (Zambia), Emad Moteab, Mohamed Gedo (Egypt).



Quarter-Finals (Irish times)
Angola V Ghana 24/01/2010 16H:00 LUANDA
Cote d'Ivoire V Algeria 24/01/2010 19H:30 CABINDA
Egypt V Cameroun 25/01/2010 16H:00 BENGUELA
Zambia V Nigeria 25/01/2010 19H:30 LUBANGO


I'm always concious of the 'slow start, big finish' of teams at different championships. There's been a few 'slow starters' in this tournament. My take on the rest of the tournament, Angola should have too much fire power for Ghana same for Egypt versus Cameroon. Algeria havn't conceded a goal yet, Cote D'Ivoire have a slow-start-stop tournament. But they would have been focussed on this one game for over a week, they havn't had to travel. I see it 0-0 after 90 mins.

Nigeria are starting to get into their stride, they have their fair share of strikes at goal and have different attacking options, in ppaticular Odemwigie and Webo. Zambia will score against them but it won't be enough. Nigeria to lose in the semis to Egypt and Egypt to beat Angola in the Final.

[HarpoJoyce]

Egypt went 1-0 up with a start-stop penalty kick after an Algerian defender got sent off.

Yebda of Algeria went close with a free kick. There was five Egyptians in the penalty box quequeing up to score.

Zidan just put Egypt two-nil up.

[osarusan]

This is absolute madness if you ask me -

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/foot...ca/8489127.stm

Togo have been banned from the next two Africa Cup of Nations following their withdrawal from this year's tournament.

The Confederation of African football (Caf) also fined the Hawks $50,000 for quitting the competition in the wake of a gun attack on the team bus in Angola.

[superfrank]

It's completely insensitive to the circumstances. I really struggle/don't want to believe that CAF will impose the ban and fine.